Obama Waffle Flap

I couldn’t help but wonder what racist idiot came up with this idea. I was further astonished that the people involved in making and selling this item couldn’t understand how it could be regarded as offensive!

Boxes of Obama Waffle mix were sold by a lobbying firm at a Values Voters Summit held in Washington, D.C., last weekend. They were ostensibly sold as a satirical souvenir item by a lobbying group calling itself the Family Research Council.

This nexus of the words “Values”, “Family”, and racism is one reason why I immediately distrust any group which refers to itself as “Family” or “Values” anything. The same applies to any individuals who appeal to “Family” or “Values” as a justification for their position on anything.

I immediately regard such individuals as right-wing, conservative racists.

Or Republicans.

Same thing.

The box is the creation of two writers who claimed to be having a little fun during this election season, and disingenuously claimed that the box couldn’t be regarded as racist or offensive. Now, these guys are either totally obtuse, and failed to see its similarity to an offensive racial stereotype portrayed on a well-known trademark (Which would make them very poor writers, indeed.), or they are simply liars.

Or Republicans.

Same thing.

The self-appointed and allegedly “independent” tribune of the people, Lou Dobbs, reportedly bought a box of Obama Waffle mix with delight. One more reason I can’t stand the self-important asshole.

Earlier this week I was watching an episode of The View featuring Whoopi Goldberg and some other women. The subject of Obama Waffle mix came up, and there was general agreement that the political satire depicted on the box crossed the line into racism.

At that point, one of the women (Surely the one who drew the short straw.) objected, “What if the Democrats had put a picture of John McCain on a bottle of Metamucil? Wouldn’t that be age-ism?”

An argument ensued over what, exactly, is Metamucil, and whether or not the addition of the suffix “-ism” to any term legitimizes its use as a vehicle of rhetorical outrage.

In my opinion, the question of whether or not the Democrats could be accused of age-ism if they put a picture of John McCain on a bottle of Metamucil is wholly moot.

BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T.

The Democrats don’t play that game. The Republicans do.

Which is why I’m voting for Barack Obama.